SYLLABUS
SPEECH FOUR
Professor: Dr. Mark Crossman
Office: MU 132 (the one by the music patio)
Office Hours: M-TH: 5:30-6:00. To guarantee availability, make an appointment during class hours.
Office Phone: 660-3728
Email: Mcrossman@elcamino.edu
Required Text: Crossman (2006) Burden of Proof: An Introduction to Argument and Guide to
Parliamentary Debate. Thomson. Third Edition With Info Trac Bundle
OBJECTIVES
This course attempts to develop your understanding of public argument and to increase your ability to
effectively deliver and respond to arguments. Parliamentary debate will be the model utilized to explore a
variety of argumentation theories. There is a research component to this course. You will be required to
utilize research, critical thinking, and general speaking skills. You will be required to work with partners on
the debates.
RECOMMENDED SKILLS PREREQUISITE
This course is substantially more challenging than Speech One. You must be able to quickly write down
the arguments of the opposing team and respond to those arguments with very little preparation time.
Success in this class assumes, therefore, that you can be easily understood and that you can easily
understand the spoken and written English language. If you are having problems with articulation or
reading comprehension, I strongly recommend taking Speech Seven (voice and articulation) and/or
English 1A before attempting this course.
RULES AND GRADING STANDARDS
A. Assignments
Lincoln Douglas Debate (5) and Briefs (5): 10
Quiz 1: 10 points
Fact/Value Debate: 15 points
Quiz 2: 10 points
Policy Debate: 15 points
Quiz 3: 10 points
Metaphor Debate 5 points
Argumentation Journal: 10 Points
Final: 15 points
B. Attendance: You get one free class period. Each subsequent absence will result in a five point
deduction from your grade. If you are going to be absent for an extended period of time, this is not the
semester to take this course. If you are going to drop the class, be sure to do it yourself. If you just
stop showing up, you will receive an F in the course-you must initiate the drop.
C. Misc.:
1). Tardiness is annoying-if you are going to be excessively late, this isn't the place to be. If you are more
than 10 minutes late, you will not get credit for attending that day
2). If for some reason you must carry a cell phone, be sure that you keep it off in class. Never text
message in my class.
3). There will be times in this course that you will disagree with the opinions being expressed. It is
important that your response to that opinion be voiced in a professional, appropriate manner. I encourage
the open exchange of ideas. Learning to understand what is and what isn't appropriate to say in an
academic environment is part of this class.
4). Be prepared to speak on the day assigned to you-I typically don’t do make ups. If you miss an
assigned debate day, and it is possible for me to work you back into the schedule, it will cost you five
points to do the make up.
5). These elements may influence the subjective portion of your grade.
6). Special needs: individuals requiring accommodation under the A.D.A. must seek accommodations
prior to the precipitating event.
Schedule Speech Four
Date
Activity/Lecture
Readings
6-19
Introduction to Argumentation
Discuss the course and argumentation
Discuss Toulmin Model
Assign Lincoln Douglas debates
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
6-21
Discuss Fallacies
Discuss Fact Value Debates/Assign Topics/Research
Ch 3
Ch 4,5
6-26
Quiz 1-3
Lincoln Douglas Debates
6-28
Lincoln Douglas Debates
Discuss Fact Value Debates/Refutation/Delivery
7-3
Fact Value Debates
7-5
Fact Value Debates
7-10
7-12
Midterm
Discuss Policy Debates/Assign Topics
Discuss Debating Policies
7-17
Policy Debates
7-19
Policy Debates
Discuss Metaphor Debate Assignment/Metaphor Debates
7-24
Metaphor Debates
7-26
Metaphor Debates
Final
Ch.6, 8, 9
Ch.7
Ch.7
Overview of Assignments
Lincoln Douglas Debate and Brief: The purpose of the brief is to prepare you to present three
researched arguments both in favor of and rejecting the proposition which I have given you. You will find
at least three quotations from three different authors (magazines, books, newspapers, web sites, etc.-no
interviews or personal opinion) that support the proposition and you will find at least three quotations from
three different authors opposing the proposition. Be sure to include the source, the source's qualification
and the date of publication for each source. The assignment must be typed-proofread for errors. Follow
the format used in the example you were given in class. The brief portion of the assignment is worth five
points. You will turn your briesf in the day of the Lincoln Douglas Debates. On the day of the debates, I
will tell you which side you are debating. Following the format discussed in class, you will debate an
opponent. The debate portion of the assignment is worth 5 points.
Debates: You will be required to research one side of a controversial topic. Make sure you do not
research the wrong side of the topic. I will assign you and a partner to argue for one side of a topic. I
would recommend exchanging email addresses. You will debate as a team against another team from
class. You will be evaluated based on your research, delivery, organization, and adherence to the rules
described in class. The format for the debates will be described in class and is detailed in the text.
Journal: Complete one of the chapter exercises for chapters 1-9 in the text. These exercises are to be
typed, stapled together, and turned in to me during the 6th week of school.
Quiz 1-3: Multiple choice/true false. Bring a scantron form 882 for each.
Final: Comprehensive-you may use your book and notes. Bring a scantron form 882.